The OEM problem
We expect the customer OEM chip vendor relationship to be:
customer buys computer from store
stores buy computer from OEM
OEM buys chips from chip companies
But OEM have way more power today! Situation is more like:
customer buys computer from store
stores buy computer from very few OEMs
OEM switches from chip vendor to chip vendor as it wants
... but chip vendors live and die based on VOLUME OF DEMAND
Making 1 million chips is very expensive
Making 10 million chips is much cheaper
In essence OEM's "pay" their chip vendors by bringing them customers